Protesters Lie on Road Outside Bir Hospital Demanding Justice for Ganesh Nepali

Dragon Media News Desk

A protest was held outside Bir Hospital on Saturday demanding an impartial investigation into the death of Ganesh Nepali and legal action against anyone found responsible.

Nepali’s relatives, friends, ride-sharing drivers, residents of Mugu and other supporters joined the demonstration. Some protesters lay down on the road as a symbolic form of protest, while others staged a sit-in and chanted slogans demanding justice.

The demonstrators called for a transparent investigation, punishment of those responsible and an end to what they described as insensitive treatment of poor and working citizens by state institutions.

Tensions briefly rose when protesters attempted to move onto the main road outside the hospital. Police sought to clear the road to maintain traffic flow and prevent disruption to hospital services, leading to minor pushing between security personnel and demonstrators.

Protesters demanded that Nepali’s case not be treated merely as an individual tragedy. They called for a broader investigation into the treatment of self-employed workers, the conduct of municipal police, the effectiveness of emergency response mechanisms and the state’s responsibility towards economically vulnerable citizens.

Nepali’s family has demanded an impartial investigation, appropriate relief and compensation, employment for his wife, and guarantees for the education and future of his child. Family members have also maintained that they will not accept his body until their principal demands are addressed and a credible investigation is initiated.

Nepali, 25, from Soru Rural Municipality in Mugu, had been living in Bhaktapur with his wife and young daughter and earning a livelihood through a ride-sharing service.

According to his family, a dispute arose after Kathmandu Metropolitan City Police placed a wheel lock on his motorcycle near the Department of Passports in Tripureshwar. He was later admitted to Bir Hospital following a serious self-harm incident and died while undergoing treatment on Friday.

Conflicting accounts have emerged regarding the fine imposed after the wheel lock was placed on the motorcycle. Some relatives and early reports claimed that Nepali had been fined Rs 10,000, while other accounts based on police records said the penalty was Rs 1,000.

The amount of the fine, the conduct of municipal police, available CCTV footage and the events immediately preceding the incident are expected to form part of the investigation.

Three Kathmandu Metropolitan City Police personnel who were present at the time have been questioned by police. Some reports described them as having been arrested or taken into custody, but Kathmandu District Police Range officials said they had been called in to provide information and had not been formally arrested.

Home Minister Sudan Gurung has announced the formation of a five-member investigation committee led by Deputy Inspector General of Police Govinda Thapaliya.

The committee has been assigned to investigate the dispute involving municipal police, the legal basis for the wheel lock and fine, the circumstances at the scene, the response to the incident and the roles of the concerned institutions.

Kathmandu Metropolitan City has expressed sorrow over Nepali’s death and pledged full cooperation with the investigation. It has also said that it will take corrective and accountability-related measures based on the committee’s recommendations.

The metropolis has proposed providing humanitarian assistance to Nepali’s family, arranging employment for a family member and ensuring free education for his child through a formal decision of the municipal executive.

Protesters have described the proposed assistance as a positive beginning but said it cannot replace an impartial investigation or legal accountability.

They have demanded that the investigation report be made public, that anyone found responsible face action regardless of position or political affiliation, and that municipal procedures governing wheel locks, fines and roadside enforcement be reviewed.

Direct legal responsibility for the circumstances leading to Nepali’s death has not yet been established. His family and protesters have alleged that the conduct of municipal police was a major contributing factor, while Kathmandu Metropolitan City has said it will cooperate with the investigation and take further steps based on its findings.

A credible conclusion will require an independent examination of CCTV footage, eyewitness accounts, police and municipal records, and the response provided immediately after the incident.

Photos courtesy of social media.